Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-04-02
A FEW FACTS FOR PROT EC-
TIONiSrS.
Touchdown Arguments Leveled at
MaCOn's Hiah Tariff Orator.


MaCon's High Tariff Orator.
WAsHINGToN, March Pei have Just
read in the Atlanta Constitution OF yes
terday report OF an address on the tariff
delivered in Atlanta the night before by
Mai. j. T. Hanson, of the Macon Tele-
praph. l. is worth notice both from an
economical and political standpoint.
Mai. Hanson states that our revolu.
tionarv war against England was a strug-
rle for social and commercial independ-
ence, and that ENGLAND was retardlng
The growth of the colonies by q CONNER
cial policy which forbade the develop
ment OF their material resources" This
is true, but that policy was the identical
protective policy which Maj, Han
son now advocates, and TO which
Great Britain continued to adhere
'or more than sixty years after she
nad acknowledged our independence,
and which led her after the treaty OF
1888 to exclude all foreign vessels. in
GLIDING those of the United States, from
rading with British colonies on the
3ontinent-this same policy OF shuttin z
put foreign trade and making up for it
bv the increased cost of goods ana higher
prices in the home market.
"PrOtection inevitably increases
wages" said Maj. Hanson, "there has
d
country when there was not depression
in all branches OF business, when wages
we're not low, when idleness was not
common. There has never been period
of protection when general prosperity
has NOT been the rule. The country has
developed more under the past twenty
five years of consistent protective policy
than it did 10 250 years OF The variable
and vscillatlng policy which preceded
this period"
This is mere statement, unaccompa-
MED by a single feet. 1t is true that
wages increase in high tariff countries,
but SO they do In low tariff countries. MIR.
Griffin. one of the best known English
statisticians, shows us that IN the last
fifty years, which more than cover the
low tariff period in ENGLAND, wages have
increased from 80 to 100 per cent. for 20
per cent. less work. In this country
what Maj. Hanson would call the free
trade period" extends from 1916 to 1860.
The average yearly wages in manufac-
turing establishments were $24T in 1850.
In 1860 they had risen to S2SS. In 1870
they had further increased to 1928 Gin
greenbacks), and in 1880 to $346. In
the Ten years OF low tariff, from 1850 to
1860 the wage increase was Is per cent.
while in the twenty years of high tariff
from 1860 to 1880, the increase was about
20 per cent, or only 10 per cent. each de-
cade, making much better showing for
the "tree trade PERIOD" Maj. Hanson
knows well enough that wages have in
creased, because MECHANICAL inventions
enable the wage Garner to turn out
larger product IN given time. In 1850
the average product per hand WAS worth
Sl.064, in 1860 81, 43S, and IN 1880 81 1862.
Wnlle the wages paid in 1880 were the
highest, the percentage OF wages to pro-
duct was least, being only III per cent
in 1880 as against 20 per cent. in 1860 and
23.2 per cent. in 1850. The wage Garner re.
celyed more money in 1880 than before,
but mechanical Improvements had en-
abled him to do proportionately a great
deal more work.
wherever you strike a protective
industry you find better wages
than are paid IN Europe"
says Maj. Hanson. This is generally
true, but 1t rs just as true in relation to
industries not protective. Lowell, Law
renee and Fall River are centres of a
great protective industry-cotton manu-
featuring. According to the census of
1880 the average yearly wages in facto-
ries were: In Lowell $401, Lawrence 1858
and Fall River $500. Lynn, Brockton and
HaVerhill are centres OF great unpro-
tected lndustry-bOot and shoe making.
In 1880 the average yearly wages were:
In Lynn S542, Brockton $543 aud Hayer-
nil 500. Inc average Is higher in the un-
protected Industries, and the difference
In wages in the same Industries in the
same State Is very marked, and surely
cannot be charged to the tariff.
Wages are certainly higher in this
country than in Europe. Here are some |
dally wages In Germany, reported a few
years ago by NJ. b. Wharton. Consul at |
Sonnebeg: Cabinetmakers, 70c.; carpen-
ters, 600; biacksmiths, &C.,; glassmakers, |
on to I5c.; glaciers, 60 TO SOC. locksmiths,
% to 1Oc.; painters, go TO Toe; uphols-
terers, 70 to 75c.; weavers, 40 to 50c., etc. |
these are very sorry wages, but they are |
PAID IN Germany, country with just (
such protective tariff as we have. Why |
are wages high in the high tariff United |
states aud low In high tariff Germany?
Here is weekly wage comparison be- |
tween two wooden mills, made the same |
year-lSS2-one near Leeds, Eng, and |
tne other in Kaiserslautern, Bavaria. In |
England the hours OF service were IS, in |
,iermany, 72. Wool-carding overseer: |
England, $l5; Germany, 81 80: SPIN |
ner, Sl2 90; So 10. Dressing over |
seer, Sll 90; "a 81. Engineer, $40; |
- -. Machinist, SO; 81 55. Common |
nand, 81; 81 70. Laborer, so; 50 %, etc.
" WY are wages so much higher in low
tarlf England than high tariff Germany? |
why does low tariff England pay higher
'ANA Ahy inc VI bD6 ulRu bhTlu
countries OF continental Europe-Ger-
many, France, Austria, spain, Italy,
OF any of them? Maj. Hanson proves |
700 much, or else nothing. haven't time
w elaoorate, but II there be anything III
loglc, the conclusion is irresist ii BILE that
"hlle tariffs do not have SO very decided |
al euect upon wages, that OF a low reve-
n le taTlf Is good and OF high protec-
tive tariff bad.
GENERAL prosperity and high wages has
zen the rule under high tariff, and de-
plesson In all branches Of business and
-, ~" wages under low tariff, according
~ NaJ. Hanson, During the low tariff
period, from lS46 to 1850, there was the
pane OF 1851. says United States Labor
Commissioner Carroll ID. Wright in mis-
nIsI annual report: 1.-THE industrial de-
eIesslon OF lS57.5S was incidental TO the
u,hahcial panic. Wages were not affected
NJ guy great extent, nor was the volume
W BUSINESS The total commerce of the
s UIutry rose to very high point in 1857,
" "nu iell more than 500, 600, 600 from that
Pv'uI ia 1908, but rose again In 1850"
~ ~ tAe other hand, we have had under
s Sue present high tariff tue panic of 1873.
h"ys the same authority: "There had
zen period OF excessive ejaculation.
Iepeotaliy in railroads and real estate;
i iatse iaiiures followed that OF Jay Could
ina snaslQh OF the currency, high protective
w III, ldrEe immigration, and the unnatu-
w. SIImulus given to industry by the